In the core links of electroplating production, the high-power DC power supply, as a key equipment for electrical energy conversion, the matching degree of its performance with the process directly affects the uniformity, adhesion and qualified rate of the coating. Different plating types and workpiece specifications have differentiated requirements for the output parameters and stability of high-power DC power supplies. Selecting a suitable high-power DC power supply can not only improve the stability of the electroplating process, but also reduce energy consumption and failure probability in production. Based on the actual needs of the electroplating process, the following talks about the rational selection ideas of high-power DC power supplies.
1. Match the core parameters of high-power DC power supply according to the characteristics of plating types
In the electroplating industry, processes such as zinc plating, nickel plating, chromium plating and precious metal gold and silver plating have completely different requirements for the output current, voltage and ripple coefficient of high-power DC power supplies. Conventional anti-corrosion electroplating such as zinc plating can use a high-power DC power supply with a ripple coefficient ≤3% to meet the basic coating deposition requirements; while the gold and silver plating processes of precision electronic components have strict requirements for current stability, and it is necessary to select a high-power DC power supply with a ripple coefficient ≤1% and a constant current accuracy better than 1% to avoid coating thickness deviation caused by current fluctuations and affect the conductivity of components. At the same time, the chromium plating process requires the high-power DC power supply to have the characteristics of withstanding high current impact, adapting to the special working environment of chromic acid electrolyte. Such high-power DC power supplies also need to support pulse output to improve coating stress and surface appearance.
2. Determine the power range of high-power DC power supply combined with production scale
The power selection of high-power DC power supply needs to match the plating tank capacity and plated area, and it is not that the higher the power, the better. Calculated according to the plating solution volume current density method, the copper plating process is suitable for a high-power DC power supply of 0.2~0.3A/L, and the chromium plating process needs a high-power DC power supply of 2~3A/L. If the full load plated area of the plating tank is large, a high-power DC power supply supporting multi-module parallel operation can be selected to balance production efficiency and current uniformity. Small piece processing in small electroplating workshops can use small and medium power DC power supply equipment; large industrial electroplating production lines need to customize high-power DC power supplies with large current and wide voltage adjustment range to meet the power demand of mass production.
3. Pay attention to the process adaptability and protection performance of high-power DC power supply
A high-quality high-power DC power supply needs to have functional designs adapted to the electroplating process, such as supporting the switching between constant current and constant voltage modes. Some precision electroplating processes also require the high-power DC power supply to have pulse superposition and positive and negative commutation functions to reduce coating pinholes and porosity. At the same time, electroplating workshops mostly have the problems of acid-base mist and high humidity. The high-power DC power supply needs to have good anti-corrosion and dust-proof design. The cooling method should be selected as air cooling or water cooling according to the production environment to avoid affecting the operation stability due to overheating of the equipment. On the market, high-power DC power supplies such as those of YIBENYUAN have designs in process adaptability and environmental protection that can well fit the production characteristics of the electroplating industry.
4. Consider the energy saving and later maintenance of high-power DC power supply
Electroplating production is a high energy consumption industry, and the conversion efficiency of high-power DC power supply directly affects the production cost. It is recommended to select a high-power DC power supply with a conversion efficiency ≥90%, which can achieve more than 20% energy saving compared with traditional power supplies. In addition, the high-power DC power supply must be equipped with complete over-voltage, over-current and phase loss protection functions, which can automatically cut off the output in case of failure to reduce the probability of equipment damage and production accidents; at the same time, the structural design of the equipment should be convenient for disassembly and maintenance to reduce the time cost of later shutdown and maintenance.
The selection of high-power DC power supply in the electroplating industry is core to accurately matching the equipment parameters with the process requirements and production scale, rather than blindly pursuing high configuration. Starting from the characteristics of plating types and actual production, and taking into account the stability, adaptability and energy saving of the equipment, the high-power DC power supply can truly become a reliable support for electroplating production, while improving the coating quality, achieving a dual improvement in production efficiency and benefits.
